#charlemagne

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History
fromOpen Culture
2 days ago

How Everything in a Medieval Castle Worked, from Its Moats to Its Dungeons

Medieval castles were complex structures designed for defense, featuring elements like barbicans, moats, and parapets.
History
fromMedievalists.net
3 days ago

How Church Leaders Helped Defend Medieval Germany - Medievalists.net

Church leaders in Ottonian Germany were responsible for organizing defenses and mobilizing communities to protect the kingdom.
History
fromMedievalists.net
4 days ago

New Medieval Books: Light on Darkness - Medievalists.net

Liturgy is central to Western cultural history, rich in artistic expression and emotional depth, influencing society for over a thousand years.
Philosophy
fromThe Conversation
3 weeks ago

Notions of 'Christendom' often miss the mark - medieval Europe's ideas about faith and power were not so simple

Christian nationalism relies on a distorted historical view, particularly a romanticized medieval Christendom that conflates religious and political authority in ways that did not actually function as imagined.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 week ago

Scientists Confirm Remains of Medieval Emperor Otto the Great - Medievalists.net

Emperor Otto the Great's identity has been confirmed through scientific research, including DNA analysis, after centuries of uncertainty.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 week ago

How Many Workers Built a Medieval Cathedral? - Medievalists.net

Medieval cathedral construction required far fewer workers than commonly believed, as evidenced by detailed financial records from Girona Cathedral.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 week ago

The Size of Armies in Early Medieval Warfare - Medievalists.net

The size of early medieval armies remains debated, with some scholars arguing for small warbands while others suggest larger fighting forces existed.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 weeks ago

When Charlemagne Became a Thief: A Medieval Tale Retold - Medievalists.net

Charlemagne's legacy includes tales of his youth, notably an adventure involving a thief named Basin, showcasing his character and moral lessons.
Science
fromOpen Culture
1 month ago

How Medieval Cathedrals Were Built Without Science, or Even Mathematics

Medieval cathedral builders engineered complex structures like Sainte-Chapelle without mathematics or formal science, using practical techniques and empirical methods instead.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 weeks ago

Medieval Chess Reveals a More Diverse Middle Ages, Study Finds - Medievalists.net

Medieval chess functioned as a rare intellectual arena where people from different cultures and races engaged as equals, challenging assumptions about rigid medieval social hierarchies.
fromwww.thehistoryblog.com
2 weeks ago

Five more seated Gauls found in Dijon

They were all adult males between 40 and 60 years old when they died, ranging in height from 1.62 to 1.82 meters (5'4-6). They were in good overall health with excellent teeth, but osteoarthritis in the bones, particularly in the legs, attests to them having consistently experienced strenuous physical activity in their lives.
History
fromMedievalists.net
3 weeks ago

Political Borders Shaped the Spread of Medieval Chant, Study Finds - Medievalists.net

Tropes were additions inserted into established Gregorian chants. They could include new words, new melodies, or a combination of both, expanding the original liturgical piece and sometimes offering additional theological or rhetorical commentary. In many cases, tropes circulated long before they were recorded in writing. Their melodies and texts were transmitted orally for centuries before being preserved in medieval manuscripts, creating a complex web of regional variants across Europe.
History
History
fromwww.thehistoryblog.com
2 weeks ago

Only image of Gallo-Roman god found in Burgundy sanctuary

The only known pictorial depiction of Gallic god Sucellus was discovered at the Mancey sanctuary in Burgundy, a religious complex continuously used from the late Iron Age to the 4th century.
fromMedievalists.net
3 weeks ago

New Medieval Books: Approaching Records of the Household and Wardrobe - Medievalists.net

The Household and Wardrobe Accounts are English records that document the daily needs of the king and his family. This book serves as a guide to these sources, showing how they can be used and what valuable insights they offer into medieval government.
History
fromOpen Culture
3 weeks ago

Who Would Be Emperor If the Roman Empire Still Existed Today?

Very rare to see this level of tailoring nowadays, even on the wealthy. Even when not attending major sporting events, the king's collars always hug his neck, his lapels are always well-proportioned, the lines of his coat always flow into his trousers, and his four-in-hand always has just the right asymmetry.
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
4 weeks ago

New Medieval Books: Silence of the Gods - Medievalists.net

Europe's last pagan peoples underwent Christian conversion from the 14th to 20th centuries while maintaining their indigenous religious traditions despite political pressure to adopt Christianity.
Miscellaneous
fromArchitectural Digest
9 years ago

The 11 Most Beautiful Gothic Cathedrals Around the World

Gothic cathedrals, built 12th–16th centuries, prioritize height and light using pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses to create taller, stronger stone structures.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

Charlemagne's Failed Invasion of Spain, 777-778 - Medievalists.net

Charlemagne's 778 campaign to conquer Muslim-controlled Spanish fortress cities along the Ebro River ended in failure, marked by the ambush at Roncevaux Pass that destroyed his rearguard and killed the commander Roland.
Philosophy
fromPhilosophynow
1 month ago

What Have the Romans Ever Done For Us?

Roman thought combined Greek philosophical influences with practical political and engineering practices, producing enduringly useful ideas rooted in pragmatism.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

The Survival of Roman Education in Early Medieval Britain - Medievalists.net

Roman cultural practices persisted in Britain for generations after AD 410, with aristocrats maintaining traditional education and Christian learning similar to their Gallic counterparts.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

Military Intelligence and Planning in the Carolingian Empire - Medievalists.net

Carolingian rulers built systematic intelligence networks—interrogating travelers and compiling detailed reports to gather topographical, political, and military information for campaign planning.
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

New Medieval Books: The Conqueror's Gift - Medievalists.net

Imperial Roman ethnography was a gift the Romans made for themselves, because it embraced concepts with which they could address the great cultural diversity of their world. It was a gift that came from the conquerors, reflecting their supposition of preeminence. At the same time, Roman ethnography was a somewhat less welcome present for the many peoples who found themselves trapped in Rome's vision, needing to find a place within it that made sense to Roman demands.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

New Medieval Books: The Medieval Moon - Medievalists.net

In this book of moons, I am writing for people for whom the medieval world and its literatures and arts may be unfamiliar. I hope that in telling the stories of medieval moons, I also introduce these readers to the wonderful, mesmerising realm of medieval texts and images. But I also hope that this book may be useful to those with greater familiarity with medieval languages, literatures, and arts.
History
History
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
1 month ago

The First King of England: thelstan and the Birth of a Kingdom

Aethelstan unified England, strengthened royal authority, managed the church, dominated neighboring Celtic realms, and secured European stature during a transformative fifteen-year reign.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

"775 - Westphalia": Exhibition Explores the Origins of Charlemagne's Imperial Palace - Medievalists.net

Charlemagne established a fortified royal base at the Lippe River in 775, baptized many Saxons, and initially named it Karlsburg before the name vanished.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Military Education in Early Medieval Europe: Learning from Books - Medievalists.net

Early medieval military leaders learned warfare from books—Roman manuals, handbooks, and case studies—informing campaigns, sieges, and logistical planning.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

When were the Middle Ages? - Medievalists.net

The Middle Ages lack a single, natural start or end; appropriate boundaries depend on whether political, religious, economic, or cultural changes are prioritized.
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Medieval Books: Old High German Poetry - Medievalists.net

The translations offered are intended to keep as close to the originals as possible in line for line renderings, while conveying at the same time some indication at least of the poetic form. This is, of course, an entirely hubristic aim, and it is either a help (by permitting a certain freedom of approach) or an additional hindrance that, as noted, many of the texts survive in a somewhat parlous state.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Medieval Books: Interconnected Traditions - Medievalists.net

This open-access book brings together more than thirty essays on languages and the ways they develop, interact, and influence one another. Its main focus is the Middle East, where Hebrew, Arabic, and Aramaic long existed side by side and often overlapped in everyday use, scholarship, and culture. In line with Geoffrey (Khan)'s commitment to the maximally accessible dissemination of research, this Festschrift has been published in both open-access digital editions and affordable printed formats.
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Online Course: Medieval Europe 870 - 1300 - Medievalists.net

10-week course starting January 15 offers a panoramic overview of European history (9th–13th centuries), covering politics, economics, gender, technology, warfare, society, and external relations.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Crusader Frontiers: Mapping the Medieval Holy Land - Medievalists.net

Medieval Crusader frontiers functioned as dynamic networks of castles, passes, ports, and strongpoints that require detailed geospatial mapping to accurately represent shifting landscapes.
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

When Was Violence Legitimate? Feuds and Just War in Early Medieval Germany - Medievalists.net

Max Weber famously argued that one of the hallmarks of a modern state was a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force within a defined territory. Within the compass of the law of war, Weber's insights have been associated with the legal tradition of ius ad bellum. This is the concept that governments retained the exclusive authority to declare legitimate war.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

New Medieval Books: A Crusade Against the Turks as a Means of Reforming the Church - Medievalists.net

This project will focus on the Camaldolese hermits' proposal for achieving what they considered to be the most crucial task in the repair of the church, eliminating Islam and all Muslims. Our study will begin with an examination of the recipient of the Libellus, Giovanni de' Medici, who would become Pope Leo X. Next will be an exploration into the backgrounds of Paolo Giustiniani and Pietro Querini,
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Richard the Lionheart: New Study Rethinks His Capture After the Crusade - Medievalists.net

Richard I's capture becomes clearer when examined through regional political incentives and rival rulers' interests rather than legend and fate.
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Online Course: The Normans in Europe - Medievalists.net

We get started by exploring the origins of the Normans in the county and then duchy of Normandy. We will understand their Norse background and their relationship with the Carolingians. The timeline approach will help us discover all the counts and dukes of Normandy, and what they contributed to their realm. This will set the foundation for the interconnected stories that will lead us to England and the Mediterranean.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Medieval Books: The Forsaken 14th Century - Medievalists.net

In this volume, the authors aim to provide a truly global overview of the 14 century, with each region given approximately the same space. It is obviously impossible to cover every event in every country of the world in a single volume, just as you would not be able to visit every city in every country if you traveled around the world for a year.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Talking Templars: Assassins versus Templars - Medievalists.net

The Assassins and the Knights Templar have become two of the most iconic groups of fighters from the period of the Crusades. In recent times, they have been popularised through the video game and movie franchise, Assassin's Creed. But who were they really and how did they interact in the Holy Land? It's an intriguing story that Dr Steve Tibble and Tony McMahon investigate in the first episode of their new podcast series, Talking Templars.
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

The Failed Hit at Mont Gisard: The Templars against Saladin - Medievalists.net

At Mont Gisard in 1177 the Templars' desperate charge nearly reached Saladin, failed to kill him, and influenced subsequent campaigns in the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
#crisis-of-the-third-century
History
fromwww.thehistoryblog.com
2 months ago

Roman wooden writing tablets from Belgium deciphered

Deciphered writing on Roman wooden wax tablets from Tongeren reveals new personal names and rare high-ranking officials, enriching knowledge of the city’s Roman-period inhabitants.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Medieval Books: The Horse in History - Medievalists.net

Eleven studies examine horse equipment, training, folklore, and material culture across time and Europe, emphasizing archaeological evidence and diverse methodological approaches.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

25 Tips from the Middle Ages - Medievalists.net

Medieval practical literature provided specific everyday guidance on posture, hygiene, conversation, remedies, and social behavior, blending useful tips with odd, superstition-based methods.
fromWorld History Encyclopedia
2 months ago

Livonian Rhymed Chronicle: An Account of the Livonian Crusade

The Livonian Rhymed Chronicle ( Livländische Reimchronik) is an anonymous account of the Livonian Crusade written in Middle High German, covering the years between 1143 and 1290. It is one of the chief written sources concerning the Livonian Crusade, significant in that it was written by a member of the crusading orders, and it is notable for its rhyming form, unusual among chronicles.
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Victory in Death: The Templars at Cresson - Medievalists.net

Templar zeal led to reckless charges against vastly superior forces, turning battlefield defeats into celebrated martyrdom and precluding negotiated truces.
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Rules of a Medieval Library - Medievalists.net

When universities began to emerge in Europe during the eleventh and twelfth centuries, they soon became important centres of knowledge. Their libraries could hold hundreds of books, and many of the most valuable volumes were kept under close control - sometimes even chained to desks. We have few details about how medieval university libraries operated, but a revealing set of rubric headings survives from the University of Angers in western France.
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

New Online Course: Urban Europe: Towns and Cities in the Middle Ages - Medievalists.net

A four-week course examines the rise and management of medieval European cities, everyday town life, occupations, and religious and cultural influences.
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

Reading in Byzantium: Literacy, Books, and a World of Texts - Medievalists.net

Byzantine reading was communal and performative, woven into religious, educational, and administrative life while preserving classical learning within a Christian intellectual framework.
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

10 Medieval Studies' Articles Published Last Month - Medievalists.net

In this paper we investigate whether infant and childhood feeding practices influenced the imbalanced adult sex ratio reported in medieval Europe from historical and osteological evidence. First, we examine hypotheses for the observed imbalanced sex ratios in Europe and the evidence presented to support these hypotheses. We then use stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N) of incremental dentine in 64 first molars from adults at three medieval sites (Aulla, Badia Pozzeveri, and Montescudaio) in north-western Tuscany (11th-15th c. CE).
History
History
fromMedievalists.net
2 months ago

10 Medieval Studies' Articles Published Last Month - Medievalists.net

Local populations in Anatolia used spolia to assert cultural continuity with the ancient and Byzantine past, challenging exclusive Western claims to that heritage.
History
fromwww.medievalists.net
2 months ago

Hattin and the Templars' Last Stand

The Templars' desperate rear-guard charge at the Horns of Hattin in July 1187 failed disastrously, marking a pivotal collapse of the Crusader army.
History
fromMedievalists.net
1 month ago

New Medieval Books: Blessed Mary and the Monks of England - Medievalists.net

English Benedictine and Cistercian monks (1000–1215) shaped medieval Mariology by deepening Marian devotion, theological reflection, and using Mary as a model for Christian life.
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